


Monsters Don't Sleep (Part 4)

by QuietDarkness



Series: Simplicity and Complexity (Harrisco) [35]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-24 03:56:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13205391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuietDarkness/pseuds/QuietDarkness
Summary: With the help of some friends, Barry and Caitlin might have a solution to their bug problem. But the danger is far from over for Harry and Cisco. And time is quickly running out...'Opposites don't just attract. They catch fire and burn the entire city down.'(Part 35)





	Monsters Don't Sleep (Part 4)

“Think of it as an adaptive learning program that has grown a mind of its own.” Doctor Stein explained, walking around a large table with a holographic image floating in the air of the various components of the BCI bug. “Not quite artificial intelligence, but something far more primitive that has one basic protocol: kill. With fear, with extreme prejudice, designed to infiltrate large numbers of people and...” He crossed his arms over his chest after adjusting his glasses, “It's terrifying. And ingenius. Someone took a brain computer interface designed for computative biological control meant to enhance and even make better the daily lives of those affected by degenerative and debilitating brain disorders, and they Frankensteined it into... well, this.” He waved his hand at the hologram with a disgusted look.

“Explain the science of how something that only has biological control of neurophysiology can kill a person,” Barry motioned to the mutilated covered body of Ray, “Like that.” 

“I think I've figured that out, now that Doctor Stein's helped answer some questions. I think... it's the nocebo effect.” Caitlin said, stepping into view and catching everyone's attention.

“The what?” Iris asked, her father standing beside her looking just as confused as his daughter.

“The nocebo effect is basically when the brain thinks the body is injured or being injured, so it causes those injuries physically, even if nothing physical is actually going on. It explains entirely the oddity of the wounds on his body,” she stood then next to the covered corpse, “And the reaction that Harry had.”

“And the bruise.” Wally said, standing next to Cisco's still unconscious form.

“Bruise? What bruise?” Barry demanded, turning the same time everyone else did. Wally motioned with raised brows to the side of Cisco's jaw, which was now blossoming red and and angry, like he'd been hit. “We need to wake them up, Caitlin. Right now.”

“I'm not sure that's going to be so simple.” Doctor Stein interjected, then reached forward and picked up the tablet on the counter, tapping something on the screen to change the hologram. “They're linked, all of them.” He motioned to a set of signals, baseline codes that overlapped, “I think they're sharing the same...” he motioned in the air with one hand as though trying to think of the right turn of phrase and physically reaching for it, “False reality.”

“You mean, they don't know what's happening to them right now?” Joe asked, sounding rather disturbed by the thought. Stein shook his head.

“As a matter of fact, if we're interpreting their brainwaves and the data from these devices correctly, they're all reacting as though they are wide awake and functioning normally. Heightened emotions and physically strained, but as though completely conscious. And reacting to the same things at the same time in similar ways. So... short answer, no. I don't think they have a clue.”

“And that might be a good thing.” Caitlin added, Stein nodding and pointing at her.

“Yes, a very good thing. You see, these little buggers have a very unique way of keeping their tech out of unwanted hands. They link themselves like this to keep their program from being stolen. One goes down, they all do, and they take their hosts with them. And if anyone in their manufactured scenarios figures out what's going on, that person is the next to go to make sure the scenario continues.”

“How do you know that?” Barry asked, furrowing his brows. Stein and Caitlin exchanged glances, and then Stein tapped on the screen again. Suddenly computer code, and words began showing up on the screens around them. Rules. Lists. Like a game. Everything Thawne put in place.

“Because that's exactly what he designed them to do.” Barry answered his own question quietly, eyes darting over the absurd amount of information before them. 

“So how do we save them?” Wally asked, sounding worried and trying to hide it.

Silence filled the room. And Stein lowered the tablet, taking off his glasses.

“I have... no idea.” He sighed out, eyes moving from Harry to Cisco to Sophia to Brock. “We cut one connection, we kill them all. We leave them as they are, they all eventually die. If we could find a way to rewrite the linking protocol, we might be able to separate them, and then... perhaps?” He motioned with his glasses in one hand. “But that would take a serious amount of hacking skills that I sadly do not possess.”

“I think I know someone,” Barry spoke up then, face sobering and then a slow smile playing on his lips, “Who might just be able to help.”

And without another wasted word, he was gone in a flash...

* * *

Cisco was dumfounded 

Okay, more than that.

He was confused and angry and scared and really fricken worried as Brock and Sophia hoisted him to his feet, one hand going to his chin and rubbing awkwardly as he yelled after Harry, but his husband was long gone, that awful thing hot on his heels. What the hell had just happened?! 

Harry had just hit him. HIT him. Just like that. And then taunted that thing into a chase like he was happily playing tag with the fucking Devil! Cisco wrenched his arms free of both Brock and Sophia and began to move toward the woods in the same direction Harry had gone, only to be grabbed by Brock and practically wrangled back onto the path.

“Cisco, no! What're you doin, man?!” Brock demanded, and Sophia's eyes went a little wide as Cisco whirled on him.

“Going after Harry!” Cisco practically yelled at him. 

“No way, don't you get it?!” Brock yelled back. “He led that thing off to protect us!” And for a moment, though oh so very brief, Cisco was slightly stunned. Had Brock said something logical?

“We can't just let him face that thing alone.” Sophia spoke up, then slipped her hand into Cisco's and tugged. He moved then, without thinking or giving Brock any other chance to speak or touch him because logical or not, Cisco might just kill the guy if he bothered to speak again. Because this was Harry they were talking about. HIS Harry. No one else's. His. And then both he and the short woman, who suddenly felt very much like an anchor to realty, were running after a monster and the one man in any existance the monster should have been afraid of...

* * *

Running was easy. 

He wasn't a speedster. But being on 714 had taught him that, even though he'd always stayed fit, running was just a damn real necessity. Even after he'd returned, he kept up with it. He'd run before, or more like did the daily jog to keep his heart healthy. But now... now he was a runner. Not just for health, not just for fitness, but for survival. And it showed.

Even in this fake world, which was exactly what he knew now that it was, he could feel the strain in his muscles, the twitch in his calves, the expanding of his lungs in the bitter air. And he also knew that none of those sensations were real, which was why he just kept going, with that thing hot on his heels. A construct of someone's disfigured imagination. A monster, yes. But one as fake as the boogey man. 

That, however, did not mean it wasn't dangerous.

There was also the fact that it knew that he knew. 

It wanted him dead. It had said as much. He knew he could fight the fake realty here. But the strange affects this place and that thing could elicit on the body were no doubt taking place out in the real world. It had killed Ray. In here, and out there. That much he was sure of. Because when he'd healed Sophia's wounds, that had been very real... somehow. That meant, however, there was no way he could survive a full on assault. He could wipe the slate clean, sure. Erase the damage like he had when the branch had crushed him. But how many times could he survive that before his real body just gave out from the over-exertion and trauma? He really, really didn't want to know.

So he ran.

Because running was real. Even in fake-world. Even for the monster behind him. Apparently, it was stuck with some of the same rules the rest of them were.

Like obstacles, and keeping up with someone as nimble and trained as Harrison Wells. 

But there was something wrong. Something about the cold that had taken over every inch of his skin, something about it that wasn't fake in the slightest. And yet it didn't hurt. It should have. It should make every muscle tremble, every nerve scream in protest. But he was fine. If someone could call a running human popsicle fine. 

It made him wonder...

What if being whatever he was now was interfering with this thing's hold on him? What if that was why he'd seen an eyeless bear instead of a regular one? What if that was why he was freezing, to the point of hypothermia, but functioning just fine? Because the Change was helping him in its own odd way. Keeping him cold was keeping him aware. Keeping him freezing was helping him fight. Not that it made any sense, actually. But what about any of this did?

All he knew for sure was that all of this was some sort of computer program, he'd seen the 'glitch' in the program when he looked at the tree, where the branch had broken off. He was sure the Change had helped him with that, too. And whatever program this was, he knew they were all stuck in it together somehow. That the danger was very real. And that the 'monster' was going to kill them all if someone out in the real world didn't get their asses in gear. But it had to catch him first, that seemed to be its priority at the moment. It wanted him badly. Some sort of programming imperative. Which was the only saving grace at the moment. 

So the plan was simple.

Run and keep it away from everyone else... away from Cisco. 

Run till he couldn't anymore. Then fight till he couldn't.

And then... hope that the others out in the real world had finally figured out how to save their damn lives...

* * *

“I can do this, totally, just give me like... one, maybe two, no one... yeah, one hour.” Felicity rambled, fingers already flying on the keyboard before her, blond ponytail bobbing slightly, eyes darting across the three screens before her as she instantly began diving through code.

“I'm not sure we have one hour,” Caitlin said, worry laced clearly in her tone as she stepped out of the medlab, everyone turning to look at her. “Harry's base temperature has dropped to 58 degrees farendheit.” And the way she said it, let alone the words themselves, just sent a shockwave through the room.

“That's not...” Barry began, but then shook his head, “How is he not dead?!” He found himself saying instead. And Caitlin shook her head, hands open in a gesture of confusion.

“I'm at a complete loss. There's absolutely no vasoconscriction, no shivering, his organs are functioning normally. If this were any other situation, he should even have frostbite. But... he just... there's just no other symptom that goes along with body temperature like this. I have no idea how to explain the fact that he's still alive... except maybe...” She let it hang there, wringing her hands together a little.

“The Change.” Iris said for her. And Caitlin nodded.

“It's the only thing that makes sense. It's doing something to him. But I have no idea what or why.” Caitlin sounded so worried and defeated, it was literally painful to witness and hear.

“I might.” Doctor Stein said, stepping into the room from beyond the hall. He had his tablet in hand and was quickly swiping away, taking control of a few screens overhead. “Look at his brainwaves.” 

With a few swipes of his hand, he was able to isolate Harry's from the joined cluster of all four overlapping brainwaves. “He's... far more active, almost...” Caitin mused, brows furrowing as she studied them.

“Aware?” He glanced at her, and she raised a brow. “I think he knows.” Stein said, smiling a little. “Which shouldn't surprise any of us in the least.” 

“Wait, you mean you think he knows what's happening? Didn't you say that meant the program would kill him?” Barry asked, looking over at the medlab.

“Which is why I have to agree with Caitlin's earlier statement.” Stein looked at Felicity who was peering wide eyed over her screens. “We're running out of time, my dear. I doubt highly that even an hour is in the cards.”

“Right. Got it.” She stated firmly, and wet straight back to work. Barry found himself wandering over to the medlab doorway and staring in. Harry looked pale. Cisco's jaw was bruised a slight purple. And all four were still very unconscious. It was such a messed up situation.

One that no doubt Harry would be royally pissed at Thawne for when he woke up... if he woke up. If. “Dammit.” He rubbed his hands over his face, just to feel Iris touch his sides. 

“They're going to be okay.” She whispered. And he dropped his hands. He wanted to believe her. They always were, right? No matter what messes Cisco and Harry seemed to get into, they were always okay... but...

“Why?” He asked quietly, turning to look at the confusion plastered all over Iris's expression. “Why, when we think we've finally been rid of Thawne, does he keep coming back? Why can't we just be rid of him?” He demanded, feeling a soft rage bubble up as Iris let out a slow sigh, understanding dawning on her. 

“He's gone, Barry. He's not coming back. Ever. This?” She nodded toward the medlab, “Is just a really bad coincidence.”

“Is it?” He asked, then looked over her head, questions forming that they had yet to ask because they had all been too busy trying to save their friends. “Doctor Stein, in all that data you combed through, did you find anything that said how those bugs got on the mountain and why?” He asked, stepping away from Iris as Stein turned to look at him.

“Actually, yes.” He set his tablet down and slid his hands into his pockets. “Thawne apparently had many projects going with a General Wade Eiling, and this was one of them.”

“Why doesn't that surprise me?” Caitlin frowned, crossing her arms. Barry had to agree.

“Take it you've heard of him.” Stein said more than asked, and continued. “Thawne claimed to have ended the project, declaring moral differences. But really, they continued the work in secret at a remote lab inside the satellite observatory at the top of the mountain. Eventually, when Eiling and Thawne cut ties, he simply abandoned the project. But not before literally letting the bugs loose on the mountain. I believe the statement I read was, 'For scientific research value.' He kept collecting data remotely. But never went back for them.” He frowned deeply at that. “They are probably responsible for half the unsolved deaths up there, and all those 'monster' stories that have made that mountain famous the last several years.”

“Cisco loves those stupid stories.” Caitlin said, very softly, voice catching a little. Barry reached out and gripped her shoulder warmly. She forced a light smile. “It's probably why they went there in the first place.”

“So it was a coincidence. But it's still a mess we have to deal with. Thawne may have done this, but we have to clean it up. Caitlin, you and Felicity keep at this. Doctor Stein... how many more of those things are out there?”

“If I interpreted the data correctly, about fifty some odd are left.” He narrowed his eyes a little. “Why?”

“Because we,” Barry said, motioning to himself, Joe, Wally who was quietly listening from a rolling chair against the wall, and Stein as he moved toward him with an apologetic smile, “Are going bug hunting.”

“Oh, wonderful...” Stein deadpanned, then furrowed his brows. “At the observatory, in Thawne's lab, he had a recall device. If it's still there and intact, it might be useful.”

“Great.” 

And just like that, they began to flesh out a plan. Well, at least one to keep anyone else from dying or getting hurt because of those bugs. But as Barry, Wally and Stein prepared to leave, Barry couldn't help but wonder if it was far too late for the people who needed the help the most...

* * *

“We're never.... gonna catch up...” Brock whined from behind them, hands on his knees, panting heavily. Cisco and Sophia had stopped, both holding onto trees as they attempted to catch their collective breaths. Cisco knew Harry was fast. But daaaamn.

“We have to.” He forced out, straightening. “He can't fight that thing alone. It's going to tear him apart.”

“And what about us? Huh?!” Brock blurted, waving a hand wildly around, and plopping down into the underbrush. “What're we gonna do, throw rocks at it?”

“Cisco,” Sophia's voice caught his attention and Cisco had to let out a heaving breath before looking at her. “I hate to say this, but he's right. I tried to fight it and it nearly...” She paused, then cleared her throat, “You know.” Sheepishness crept over her features for a split second, as though she remembered how weak she'd been going up against that thing. Cisco looked from her to Brock, then back again before stepping up to her.

“I get it.” He said softly, “I do.” He ran his hands down her arms, then shook his head. “You and Brock go back to the trail, keep heading for the bottom of the mountain. I'll find Harry.” Sophia began to shake her head. “Don't worry, okay?” Cisco gave his best reassuring smile, “I'm a meta, remember? You haven't seen what I can do yet. Not really.” He winked, then pulled her in for a hug.

“Just... promise you'll bring him back. That you'll both be okay.” She held on to Cisco so hard then, burying her face into his shoulder, and he knew right away that she was crying. Hell, he felt like crying, too. Because for all he knew, Harry was dead right now. _No, no Ramon, don't you dare even think that._ He inwardly scolded himself. _And you're calling yourself Ramon again!_ When Sophia pulled away, he smiled again.

“Scouts honor.” He made a goofy hand signal and crossed his heart. “Now get going.” He looked at Brock, pointing at him. “And you had better keep her safe, you hear me? She so much as stubs her toe, and I will shave you bare and drag you behind my car all over this mountain.” Sophia managed a giggle, Brock just swallowed and stood up. 

A moment later, Cisco was watching them make a steady walk back the way they'd come, leaving him standing there alone in the far too quiet forest. 

Quiet.

So very quiet.

He turned slowly, looking around, thinking...

“Harry... where are you?” He whispered. Maybe...

He began to rifle around his pockets, till he pulled out... a napkin. Hastily scribbled numbers of an equation that Harry had come up with while Cisco made smores were scrawled out on the crumpled tissue paper. Cisco flattened it out on his palm, remembering how he'd snagged it from Harry and they'd argued over how to use it before he'd shoved it deep in his pocket. He traced the numbers, the oddly easy to read handwriting of the older scientist's quick penmanship. “Come on...” he said through gritted teeth, “Vibe, dammit...” He closed his eyes, practically willing whatever energy Harry had put into that napkin to create some sort of link, something strong enough to vibe from. Anything.

_And then the world was swept out from beneath his feet. The sky was swirling shades of gray and far too white, the trees were far too tall and foreboding, and the air was far more warm than he remembered. But there was Harry... bleeding, crawling in the underbrush, clawing at the ground as he tried to get away from that thing. It pulled at him, dug its claws into his body, roared at him. And Harry healed, spun around, kicked with all he had. Then Cisco wasn't seeing Harry anymore, or the monster. He was seeing a tree, wide and gnarly with a worn out, flapping piece of police caution tape still tied to it. Wait... he knew that tree. It was in one of the monster stories... and suddenly Harry was in view again, slamming against that same tree, hard enough to knock the wind out of him, and drive Cisco completely out of the vibe..._

“Shit,” He panted, the napkin practically strangled in his palm, breathing heavy like he'd been running again as his wide eyes frantically darted around. He turned, thinking. He knew where to go. He had to get back to the road. “I'm coming, man.” He blurted out, and ran. Ran till his lungs felt like hot coals were burning their way through his flesh, ran till the fire in them fizzled to a cold and terrible stinging, ran until he veered from the road to a trail that would lead straight for that damn tree...

* * *

“I can't keep up with him!” Caitlin exclaimed, hands on Harry's chest as his body slumped back into the bed for the third time. His body was reacting violently to something. Bruises and slashes were showing up and simply disappearing in record time. And his vitals were fluctuating so wildly that Caitlin didn't know whether to help him or stand back and watch. “Felicity!” She called out, the computer genius in the next room red in the face and furiously typing away.

“I know, I know! I'm almost done, hold on!” She called back, Iris looking between the two and wringing her hands, feeling completely useless. Felicity had broken through every firewall there was, and was rewriting base code, desperately trying to break the connection that was keeping all the bugs linked. “There! Now! Do it!” She said, smacking something on the keyboard, and pushing away from the desk with both hands up.

Iris turned toward Harry with a peculiar device in her hand that Stein had rigged up, and she held it to the base of Harry's neck. “Wait!” Caitlin blurted, grabbing Iris' wrist. “Are you sure?” She called out, and Felicity appeared in the doorway.

“The connection's broken. You can disable them one at a time.” She nodded, eyes a little wide as she watched Harry arch his back. Both Caitlin and Iris startled.

“Screw it.” Iris muttered and held the device back against Harry's neck, near the base of his skull, and pressed the button. A whirring sound was heard. And then Harry's whole body stiffened.

Then... Harry relaxed. 

And his vitals plummeted almost instantly. 

“Oh god...” Iris whispered, and Felicity's hands went to her mouth. “I thought you said you-”

“She did, it's the hypothermia!” Caitlin interjected, and wasted no time going to work. With the bug deactivated, she could tackle what she knew. She could treat the physical symptoms. And hopefully the Change would let her, or even help her. Hopefully, a miracle would happen. Because it looked like Harry was in desperate need of one...

* * *

One moment Harry was being thrown against that damn twisted tree, and the next... well, Cisco swore he just disappeared. Gone. Poof. Blinked out of existance. Like he was...

The monster roared wildly, angrily, clawed hands digging at the dirt where Harry should have been. Then it stopped, it heaved feral breaths, and turned to look at Cisco. “Yuuu...” it's fanged mouth hissed. 

“Oh, crap...” Cisco mumbled, and turned on his heel. Running. Again. 

Because Harry was gone. 

And now this thing wanted him.

He could hear it behind him, running just as fast, catching up quick. And of course, he had to trip and flatten himself right into a wet pile of earth and leaves. “Fuck!” He muttered, spitting out a leaf as he scrambled to his feet, just in time to feel claws rake down his back.

The pain was excrutiating. It radiated throughout his back, spread over his ribs, stole his breath from him. But he would be damned if he let this thing beat him. He rolled, pushing himself near a boulder, lashing out with both hands. More than that... with his power. The energy his vibes could expel exploded out of him.

And did nothing. 

“Wha..” he whispered, fear engulfing him instantly as the monster just stepped closer. “Not possible!” he nearly yelled, wincing as he pressed his profusely bleeding back further into the boulder. “NO!” 

And the monster leaped. And he curled in on himself. 

And all Cisco could think of was racing remote control cars down the halls of S.T.A.R. Labs with Barry, movie nights and too much junk food with Caitlin, having impromptu dance parties with Jesse and Wally in the Cortex, food fights with Maggie, family dinners with his mother and brother. And of course, Harry and all that came with him. The surprises, the hardness, the happiness, the love. The late night talks and the early morning grump before his coffee. The throwing things in frustration and the soothing way he would just reel Cisco in. The quiet way he would fill up every single day effortlessly, and completely leave Cisco needing more when all was said and done. Harry. The guy who'd single-handedly taken up and over Cisco's entire life. And Ramon was about to lose him, and everyone else. All because of-

* * *

Sophia was sitting on the edge of her gurney, touching the bandage on her neck gently. She and Brock had woken up first. Exhausted, wary and very out of sorts, but no worse for wear. Caitlin had been able to remove all the bugs. And they had come-to very shortly afterward.

“What's wrong with them?” She asked, letting her hand fall, pulling her blanket a little higher up her legs. She was staring across the room to the very still form of Harry, who was hooked up to monitors and a breathing tube. At his side was Jesse, who'd returned from Earth-2 the moment they were able to get word to her. Maggie was right across from her, sitting between Harry and Cisco. 

“With Cisco,” Caitlin began explaining as she gently removed the IV needle from Sophia's arm, “He just needs time.” Sophia glanced up at her.

“What does that mean?”

“He's okay, really.” Caitlin gave a small, reassuring smile. “I'm just keeping him sedated so his body can... recalibrate.” She looked over at Cisco after she bandaged a piece of gauze onto Sophia's arm. “His brainwaves are strong, and everything is functioning normally.”

“What about the wounds?” Sophia rubbed absently at her stomach, as if there should have been something similar there like there were on Cisco's back.

“They'll heal... in time.” _Unless Harry heals them first._ Caitlin thought.

“And Harry?” Sophia asked, catching Caitlin's attention again.

“He's a little more complicated.” She replied, and Sophia furrowed her brows a little. “Okay, a lot more. He suffered an extreme case of hypothermia without any of the typical side effects. I can't even begin to explain why without sounding insane.” She sighed, pulling off her medical examination gloves, “But his whole body seems to have gone into some sort of hibernation because of it. His brain is working at minimal levels, his heart is averaging about ten beats per minute, and his breathing is so drastically slow that I've put him on a ventilator to make sure his blood remains oxygenated.”

“He's not a meta, is he.” Sophia stated, staring across the way as Maggie shifted in her chair, the girl pulling her knees up to hug them against her chest, sitting with her back to the wall so she had a sidelong view of both her unsconsious adoptive dads.

“No, he's not. To be completely honest with you, we don't really know what he is.” Caitlin watched with Sophia. “He was human. And now he's just... well,” Caitlin motioned with one hand, “Harry.” 

Sophia smiled a little at that. “Whatever he is, he's a hero. He saved my life. He saved all of us. And if he could have, I know... he'd have saved Ray, too. Because that's who he is.” She looked down at her hands in her lap, balling her blanket up a bit in her fingers. “I don't know... what I'm going to do without my... without Ray.” She whispered, warm tears falling down her cheeks. “We were going to get married, ya know?” She forced a small smile, lifting a hand to wipe at her face. “I just... I wish that thing had killed me, too...”

“Oh, Sophia... no...” Caitin put a hand on Sophia's shoulder and squeezed lightly. “You can't think that way, ever. Believe me when I tell you, I know how much this hurts. I lost my husband, Ronnie. And the pain was awful. There were moments where I just wanted to curl in on myself and die. But I got through it, because I knew he wanted me to. Needed me to. Just like I know Ray would want you to keep going, to keep working on your science, and helping people.” Sophia nodded, letting out a little sob and lifting a hand to hold on to Caitlin's hand. 

“I don't know if I'm strong enough to do it alone. Will you... will you help me?” She asked. And Caitlin smiled, warm and real, her eyes stinging with tears. 

“We all will.” She replied, and hugged the shorter woman for good measure. 

* * *

“Is it supposed to itch _and_ hurt?” Cisco whined, rolling his shoulders and instantly regretting it, hunching slightly, then hugging himself in an effort to stamp down the wave of nausea that overtook him. Both Jesse and Maggie had a hand on either side of him, helping to keep him upright as Caitlin examined his back and changed the bandage. She'd had to stitch him up, the wounds were so deep. Honestly, the whole thing was just really surreal. He still hadn't quite wrapped his head around it all.

“It's the stitches, making it itch. I'm sorry, Cisco. It's going to hurt for awhile. I can give you more morphine if-” Caitlin began. But Cisco just shook his head.

“No thanks.” He ground his teeth, jaws clenching. “I don't wanna sleep anymore.” And morphine made him sleepy as hell. Besides, hadn't he done enough of that already? Caitlin had removed the bugs from all of them, but she'd kept him sedated for awhile. Add that to the fact they'd all been pretty much unconscious for a day and a half, and he'd had more than enough rest. Though, currently, Harry was holding the record.

Cisco's eyes moved across the room where Harry's quiet form lay. 

His chest rose and fell steadily, but only because of the breathing tube down his throat. His skin was a mottled gray. And if he didn't know any better, Cisco would have sworn he was dead. Caitlin had explained it all to him, that Harry was hibernating. Something else he was trying to wrap his noodle around. Everything was just a giant bucket of crazy. And if he wasn't in a world of very real pain, he would have sworn he was dreaming it all.

He felt Maggie and Jesse, with Caitlin's help, begin to put a sort of hospital gown type thing back on him. Easier to get to his back, he supposed. He could barely help, but managed to keep himself upright. Then he very gingerly sat back, relaxing with a wince till his back stopped protesting.

Then Maggie curled her hand into his, clinging for dear life. He looked over at her with a small smile. “You okay, kiddo?” He asked, and her brows raised.

“I'm... I'm great.” She said, sounding slightly surprised.

“Kind of part of the deal, being one of your new dads and all.” He said, pulling her hand a little closer to him, resting it in his lap. “You should go with Jesse, get some sleep.” He said, glancing at Harry's daughter, who was standing at his other side. She got the hint right away. Neither of the girls had rested since they'd found out what happened. And he was sure Maggie would have to be dragged away if Jesse didn't work her mojo. 

“That sounds like a great idea, actually. We're both beat.” Jesse said on cue, though turning to look at Harry. For a moment, the young Wells woman stood there, just staring, then wandered over to his side, stroking her hand through his hair. She bent down, whispering something. Then kissed his forehead. Cisco had to tighten his jaw, clench his teeth to fight against the urge to cry. Maggie, on the other hand, closed her eyes as several tears escaped.

“I don't want to go.” She whispered from beside him, and Cisco looked up at her. 

“Hey, look at me.” He said, holding her hand in both of his then. When her eyes met his, he let out a slow breath. “Harry's going to be okay. So am I. I promise you. Both of us have had worse.” She searched his eyes, brows furrowing slightly as though she wasn't quiet sure she should believe him. “This isn't going to keep either one of us down for long and then you can go back to being annoyed on a daily basis. Scouts honor.” Her face lightened a little and Cisco had to smile. “But for now, go get some rest. We're not going anywhere. Okay?”

“If anything happens, I promise to get you both immediately.” Caitlin piped up, hands in the pockets of her lab coat. Jesse moved to stand beside Maggie, resting a warm and gentle hand on Cisco's leg. 

“Come on, Mags. We need to sleep.” She urged, curling her hand into Maggie's arm. Finally, the young girl relented. But she didn't move away till she flattened herself against Cisco, hugging him so soundly that he was sure for a moment that she might have to be pried off with a crowbar. 

It wasn't till after they were both gone, and all he could see was Harry across from him, and all he could hear was Caitlin typing away on her laptop nearby, that he buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

Because everything hurt.

Not just physically, though there was that.

But emotionally, mentally. Everything just felt like he'd been split wide open, torn to bits, and hastily put back together with staples and duct tape. 

Honestly, he shouldn't have been crying. He should really toughen the hell up, because Maggie and Jesse needed him to be strong, right? And so did Harry. God, Harry... of course, just thinking about Harry, let alone even looking at him now, made Cisco cry that much harder.

And then there were hands on him.

There was another weight on the bed.

And Caitlin was wordlessly wrapping her arms around him. 

No judgment, no need for explanation. No asking him to stop. 

She just let him cry, and she held him through it. 

Never had he loved that woman more. They may not share the same blood, but she was sure as the sun shined during the day the epitome of a sister to him.

When the tears stopped, and every inch of his body was too sore and too tired to sustain him, she helped him settle down into the gurney. Caitlin found a warmer blanket and tucked him in with it, as delicate as if he were a child. Then she stood there, just stroking her hand through his hair as he blinked heavily across the room at Harry.

“I love him so much, ya know...” Cisco said softly, the lingering weight of sleep in his words. She nodded, smiling with that ever present warmth of hers. 

“He loves you, too, Cisco.”

“I know.” Cisco smiled, then sighed, closing his eyes. “He hit me to prove it.”

He was pretty sure Caitlin asked, 'He did what?!' But Cisco was too spent to reply. And sleep took him over before he even had a chance to think of a response...

* * *

 _'Ghosts, vampires and devils don't scare me. But a cruel heart, devoid of love and compassion is truly terrifying. The real monsters have always worn a human face...'_ \- John Mark Green

**Author's Note:**

> (To be continued...)


End file.
